Maine Maritime Academy says fifth graduate was lost in the sinking of the El Faro.

Mitchell Kuflik graduated in the Class of 2011, according to a letter sent by school president Dr. William Brennan.

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Kuflik, along with Capt. Michael Davidson of Windham, Michael Holland of Wilton, and Danielle Randolph and Dylan Meklin of Rockland were among 33 people lost at sea. All five were graduates of Maine Maritime Academy.

The search for the missing crew ended at sunset on Wednesday. The U.S. Coast Guard searched 172,000 square miles over six days.

The news had already spread around the small campus in Castine by the time President Brennan spoke Wednesday afternoon.

"We have lost friends, colleagues and alumni. We honor them best by continuing to commit to the excellence they bravely pursued," Brennan said.

There are approximately 950 students at the academy and about 1,400 people in the surrounding town.

"As a community, as a school, we're really close. So any kind of news, especially like this, really hurts," said Ian Lane, a junior from West Gardiner.

Many people on campus still have connections to the four who were on the El Faro. Students and faculty members had been waiting for a miracle that never came.

"I think it's going to hit the student body pretty hard," said Rylee Knox, a sophomore from Turner. "I think there's a lot of people with a lot of hope. I think that there still will be people with hope."

Members of the Maine Maritime family said they will mourn, but current and future students will also learn from the El Faro sinking during Hurricane Joaquin as they prepare to earn their living on the ocean.

"We train here. We train for this. Our students now see in a pointed way why this training goes forward," Brennan said.